• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Costco testing $4.99 -pound cheeseburgers in select Seattle and California locations

X

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Costco-introduces-a-new-food-court-burger-11250332.php

The ⅓-pound burgers are sold as "Chicago-style" cheeseburgers, described by Costco as "an organic beef patty, topped with romaine lettuce, smoked Thousand Island dressing, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, all placed between fluffy, sweet Chicago-style buns."

For those who might be wondering, Costco later clarified that their "Chicago-style" bun is a lighter version of challah – but some people still think there's a different resemblance there.

Costco will be grilling these burgers in a trial run of locations in Seattle, as well as a few stores in California (Corona, Pacoima and Lakewood). It's not the first burger the food giant has experimented with, but it might be a lasting one.
Click to expand...

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/07/...opycat-cheeseburger-in-southern-california-6/

Costco confirmed the burger test, which is replacing items less popular on the menu – known for its extra large pizzas and baseball-inspired all-beef frankfurters.

On Wednesday, a Costco representative said the new “organic cheeseburger” is made with an organic ground beef patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato and a “Costco” special sauce spread on a brioche style bun.
Click to expand...

It’s unclear if the burger will roll out to other Costco warehouses. Costco said it “is continually researching new food items, but we cannot share specifics at this time.”

Costco also would not say if any item was eliminated from the menu to make room for the burger. However, it is normal for Costco to change “our selection of food court items, which occasionally causes us to drop less popular items,” the representative said in an email statement.
Click to expand...

SFGate - We tried Costco's new burger and it's not a 'Shake Shack' clone

In May, EaterLA posted an item about how the burger "looked an awful lot" like the burgers from Danny Meyer's Shake Shack restaurants, based in New York.

That's all well and good — they were going off of a photo, which is all they had at the time — but since then folks have run with the comparison. It's time for a reality check.

With all of this in the news (and with an already-planned road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle), tracking down this burger seemed preordained. Truth be told, I have a special affinity for the Costco Food Court since a summer job there was the only non-newspaper job I've ever had.

So, here's the deal:

Costco says the 1/3-pound burgers are made with "organic ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato, with our own special sauce on a brioche style bun."

They are $5 food court guilty-pleasure good, and then some, but let's be honest: you don't get the $1.50 hot dog because it's the pinnacle of American sausage-making, so rein in your expectations.

The bun is soft and light with some egginess, but still on the lighter-side in color. The quality of the bun is what stands out to me the most about the new burger. Combined with crisp lettuce and fresh tomatoes, Costco is off to a good start here and the "special sauce" was applied sparingly.

Shake Shack famously smashes their patties (which are much smaller) on a griddle or flattop and the results are beautiful and caramelized. This is probably the defining characteristic of their product.

What you get at Costco is a lean, pre-formed patty that is somewhat strangely daisy shaped and is cooked to medium in a small char-broiler. The result is nothing close to the same, but it's not meant to be.

Those familiar with the Roma tomatoes on burgers from the 'Shack will also notice that Costco uses more of a Jersey tomato.

The cheese on the burger I had was not melted due to a hiccup in the process at the Costco I visited (they temporarily ran out of cheese and had to send a runner out for more), so it's not clear to me whether it's standard practice to melt it onto the burger or not.

Irrespective of cheese-doneness it's a solid fast food burger and will surely be a crowd pleaser, though my personal preference would be for something a little smaller. It's also worth noting that Costco food courts do not have deep fryers, so you definitely won't be getting fries with that.

Costco corporate is being somewhat tight-lipped about the trial and the potential roll-out of the burgers. So far they appear to be available in the Seattle area, some stores in Southern California and — at least according to Reddit users — in Livermore and Folsom, California.
Click to expand...

hwiIaJq.jpg


PKToiax.jpg
 
digita1alchemy

digita1alchemy

Member
They had these at the Raleigh Costco a month or two ago. I had one and it was fucking huge. Not the best burger I've ever had by a longshot, but for the price it tasted pretty good was a good value. Definitely better than your run-of-the-mill fast food burgers that are roughly the same price. The last time I went I was going to get another one and they were gone :(
 
P

PandaPandaPanda

Member
Would love to try this as I live near the Seattle Costco and I deeply miss In and Out(Dick's isn't a replacement). On the other hand, i'm trying to lose weight currently

/sadpanda
 
G

GoldenEye 007

Member
They have a brisket sandwich here in TX which is pretty awful. I'd welcome trying the burger as a replacement if that's what they'll replace.
 
T

Tagyhag

Member
While I think it's too expensive compared to their hot dogs or a pizza slice, I'd definitely try it at least once.
 
R

Rapscallion

Member
5.00 seems like a lot for the prices people usually look to spend at Costco food court.

Make it half that and I could see it being a staple like their hot dogs. As the article mentioned, no one purchases the hot dogs because they're amazing. They're just cheap as hell and worth it for the price.
 
T

Tripon

Member
Saw these, tempted to order it, but the calorie count was like over 2000. Only way I know I'm going to eat is if I know that I'd the only thing I would eat that day.
 
K

kirblar

Member
Rapscallion said:
5.00 seems like a lot for the prices people usually look to spend at Costco food court.

Make it half that and I could see it being a staple like their hot dogs. As the article mentioned, no one purchases the hot dogs because they're amazing. They're just cheap as hell and worth it for the price.
Click to expand...
Everything that's not pizza or a hot dog is normal priced.
 
I

Instro

Member
Yeah they've had it at my local Costco for a little while now, I haven't had a chance to try it yet though.
 
A

Auron_Kale

Member
Tripon said:
Saw these, tempted to order it, but the calorie count was like over 2000. Only way I know I'm going to eat is if I know that I'd the only thing I would eat that day.
Click to expand...

I split the burger between myself and my aunt when I tried it. Again, it's okay but I didn't really feel like I missed out on not eating the entire thing.
 
J

JustAnotherMike

Member
Zoe said:
That looks awful. WhoTF doesn't put the cheese directly on the meat?
Click to expand...

People who get paid minimum wage to put it together then give it to you. Gotta give Costco credit for its honesty if that is their promo pic.

Didn't some big chain do this way back and fail because people couldn't figure out fractions? People thought they were getting less than the quarter pounder.
 
Azzurri

Azzurri

Member
The worst thing restaurants can do is put the calories. I don't want to know how bad something is for me.
 
S

sikkinixx

Member
shira said:
~$4 CDN (~$3 USD)poutine is pretty legit for the price

A $5 burger + poutine combo could be godlike
Click to expand...

This is truth. My French Canadian wife even approves in a pinch. Add some $7 chicken wings and you have a delicious greasy heart attack dinner.
 
S

skybald

Member
JustAnotherMike said:
People who get paid minimum wage to put it together then give it to you. Gotta give Costco credit for its honesty if that is their promo pic.

Didn't some big chain do this way back and fail because people couldn't figure out fractions? People thought they were getting less than the quarter pounder.
Click to expand...

Costco pays way more than minimum wage
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Why would I pay 333% more than the hot dogs that come with drinks?
 
A

Anoregon

The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
Azzurri said:
The worst thing restaurants can do is put the calories. I don't want to know how bad something is for me.
Click to expand...

They legally have to in a lot of states/cities
 
M

mm04

Member
Hmm the Corona location is 12 miles from my house. That and a very berry sundae is my total calorie count for the entire day.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Also, that doesn't look like cheddar cheese, but I'm fine with that because American >>>>> Cheddar for burgers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

McDonald’s unveils fan-inspired ‘menu hacks’
Clickbait
47
4K
Nobody_Important replied
IHOP introduces the Big Pancake Burger, and calls its new line of burgers 'Pancakes'
49
3K
lil puff replied
Watching other countries' people eating is hilarious and frustrating
2
65
3K
Heimdall_Xtreme replied
I think a deli/sandwich shop I go to is stealing recipes off a Youtube cooking guy's channel
32
2K
highrider replied
Wendy's joins BK on the upgrade bandwagon with new Giant Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
2
83
14K
Starviper replied
Top Bottom